Ischgl

Freeriding

Freeriders have a large high altitude area, mostly devoid of trees. There’s nothing hear particularly hard core but their good snow record means that you should be able to always find some relatively untracked. Pardatschgrat, a black run leading back into the village (with the lower section cutting through some trees), is well worth a go, and you'll also find good off-piste freeriding down the runs off Palinkopf. The 20km of ski-routes are the first to get shredded so you’ll need to get up early.

Freestylers

The snowARTpark sits in the Idalp bowl and can be accessed via 2 express chairs. There’s two main areas and depending on snow conditions they sometimes build some monster pro kickers. The main area contains a dual run of 3 kickers, parallel to that are around 10 various rails and boxes. They sometimes have an airbag towards the bottom of the park and a small chill out area. Higher up and leading onto the main park are a series of 3-4 larger kickers. Things are pretty well laid out and well maintained however you do get a number of kids and unaware skiers cutting across run-ins and perching on top of kickers.

Main terrain park from the bottomPhoto: James Woodward

Pistes

If cruising down beautifully manicured motorway wide pistes is your idea of heaven then you’ve made it to the afterlife here. Even when the resort is heaving, it is easy to escape the crowds and gun it down some of the fast trails, and by the end of the day it’s still not as mogulled as you’ll find in most other resorts. Advanced riders should head to the Palinkopf and Greitspitz peaks for the steepest pistes.

Towards HöllkarbahnPhoto: Steve Dowle, WSG

For a lunch stop, you should check out the Alpenhaus on the Idalp area. It’s the newest of the restaurants and serves some excellent food and has a daily BBQ.

Bar inside Restaurant AlpenhausPhoto: Steve Dowle, WSG

Beginners

There isn’t a huge amount of beginner terrain, but what is available is perfectly maintained and easy to get to. From the top of the Silvrettabahn from the village you’ll enter one of the main beginner thoroughfares, so it’s best to jump onto the fimbabhan lift to the area leading to Alp Trida. The runs are wide and evenly pitched and served by chairs, and a lot less crowded. There are only a few t-bars left around but they are easily avoided.

The runs leading back down to Ischgl are not recommended at all for beginners and easily scared intermediates. They are pretty flat and narrow in places, and heaving at the end of the day. Lower down things can get very rutted and icy.